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DOUBLE TROUBLE? Could President Barack Obama approve the Keystone XL pipeline while moving forward with the power plant regulations, potentially limiting the political fallout from either move and handing Republicans a win on the pipeline and Democrats a victory on climate change? The White House isn’t tipping its hand, but environmental advocates who have closely followed the administration’s handling of both issues say Obama could roll out the two moves at or around the same time. Andrew Restuccia has the story: http://politi.co/XVjgvE

KATCHING UP ON KEYSTONE: It’s a busy time in Washington for meetings about the Keystone XL pipeline. A rundown:

— Secretary of State John Kerry is hosting a bilateral meeting with Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird today at 2 p.m. — and you better believe a certain pipeline will come up. “I have no doubt that that subject will come up, as it always does with our Canadian counterparts,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said yesterday. Nuland declined to tangle with reporters who grilled her about timing on the department’s environmental review and the administration’s position on the pipeline.

— Elizabeth May, the leader of Canada's Green Party and a member of parliament, is on the Hill to meet with Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) about rejecting the pipeline. “Canadians want a plan to cut greenhouse gases, reduce pollution and have a sensible energy strategy,” May said in a statement. “Stopping the Keystone XL oil sands pipeline will help us reach these goals and fight climate change." May will also hold a press availability at 4 p.m. at the NRDC’s offices at 1152 15th St. NW, Suite 300.

— TransCanada CEO Russ Girling was in Washington meeting with State Department Assistant Secretary Kerri-Ann Jones “as a part of TransCanada’s continued focus on permitting the Keystone XL project,” a spokesman said. Girling was also to meet with unspecified lawmakers.

Also today: Expect to hear about Keystone XL when House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton sits down for an hour-long live chat with the Kalamazoo Gazette at 10:30 a.m. Info: http://bit.ly/Xjbwnc

DEAR MR. SECRETARY: The pro-Keystone Consumer Energy Alliance will send a letter today to new Secretary of State John Kerry to push the issue. “Now that Nebraska Governor Heineman has approved the pipeline’s revised route through Nebraska, the Department of State can move forward with its draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, understanding that the process has met or exceeded all reasonable requirements for a thorough, transparent review. The Department of State has given no indication that additional delays will occur. Staying true to a clear timeframe will provide necessary certainty and transparency for the American public.” Read: http://bit.ly/W0M8mU

MORNING ENERGY ON A FRIIIIIIIDAY and welcome to Morning Ener-dean, where we’re glad “Community” is back — even if Chevy Chase is still on. Send your energy news to aguillen@politico.com and follow on Twitter the whole study group: http://bit.ly/Qad8Rb

TALK ABOUT CCING THAT MEMO: Employees at several federal agencies got emails this week with virtually the same warning about spending cuts and possible furloughs tied to the upcoming sequestration deadline. Internal memos sent to employees at EPA and the departments of Energy, Homeland Security and Transportation contain nearly identical language noting that there is less than a month until the looming March 1 across-the-board spending cuts. Darren Goode has more for Pros: http://politico.pro/YXULmp

COMING TODAY: EPA on Friday will make its draft plan for climate change adaptation available for public comment, according to an advance Federal Register notice. The plan is meant to identify and direct response to areas of the agency’s mission that are already affected by a changing climate. “Adaptation will involve anticipating and planning for changes in climate and incorporating considerations of climate change into many of the agency’s programs, policies, rules and operations to ensure they are effective under changing climatic conditions,” the notice says. The agency's draft adaptation plan is an appendix to an overall government-wide sustainability report. EPA's Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan: http://1.usa.gov/WxLNK6

WYDEN PUSHES FOR ENVIRO PROTECTIONS IN FRACKING RULE: Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Ron Wyden is pushing the administration to make sure its in-development fracking rule protects the environment and public health. “Increasing natural gas production has been a springboard for the U.S. economy and domestic manufacturing, but strong environmental protections are needed for continued development of these reserves,” the Oregon Democrat writes to top administration environmental officials. “A properly constructed rule with sound requirements for public disclosure, well integrity, and monitoring, will set a standard that both state and international governments can look to as a model for developing oil and gas resources in an environmentally responsible way.” Letter: http://politico.pro/WxuuZH

HARSH LIGHT OF MORNING REVEALS THE CHUTH: Energy Secretary Steven Chu won’t confirm or deny a report in the satirical newspaper The Onion that he had a fling with a solar panel — though he admits that he’s smitten. “I just want everyone to know that my decision not to serve a second term as Energy Secretary has absolutely nothing to do with the allegations made in this week’s edition of the Onion,” Chu wrote in a cheeky response on his Facebook page Thursday afternoon.

From the Onion piece: “Energy Secretary Steven Chu awoke Thursday morning to find himself sleeping next to a giant solar panel he had met the previous evening. ‘Oh, Christ, what the hell did I do last night?’ Chu is said to have muttered to himself.” The Onion: http://onion.com/14GbiLf. Darius Dixon has more: http://politico.pro/14Wap27

NORTH CAROLINA SENATE CLEARS BILL FIRING UTILITIES OFFICIALS: The North Carolina Senate yesterday approved legislation that would fire all the current members of the state's Utilities Commission, Coastal Resources Commission, Wildlife Resources Commission and others. Backers say it will let Republican Gov. Pat McCrory select like-minded replacements; Democrats are calling it a power grab, according to the AP. The House majority leader says that chamber's GOP members have "concerns" and will go over the bill with a fine-toothed comb. The AP has more on yesterday’s votes: http://bit.ly/XYeiMP. And more on the controversy over the bill: http://bit.ly/WSy7sM

E&C PUSHES FOR EPA UPDATE ON RIN FRAUD: A bipartisan group of members on the Energy and Commerce Committee yesterday asked EPA to provide the committee with an update on the agency’s efforts to expose fraud in Renewable Identification Numbers, which act as credits under EPA’s Renewable Fuel Standard regulations. “Since we opened the investigation last year, we have learned that the scope of challenges to the program may be larger than initially indicated,” including export issues that have created an “artificial market surplus” that is depressing RIN prices, the members said in a letter: http://1.usa.gov/TR418X

MOVER, SHAKER: Joseph Higbee has left his position as director of marketing and communications at the National Electrical Manufacturers Association to do marketing for an industrial automation software distributor.

FEC WATCH: In new filings with the Federal Election Commission, the American Fuels & Petrochemical Manufacturers Association PAC reports just one political contribution in January: $2,500 to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

WEEKEND WARRIORS: Interfaith Power & Light, a religiously-oriented group focused on battling climate change is holdings its “2013 National Preach-In” with events this weekend at places of worship around the country. Info: http://www.preachin.org/

QUICK HITS

— Energy Future Holdings has hired the law firm Kirkland & Ellis and financial adviser Blackstone Group to advise on dealing with the company's debt, a source tells Reuters: http://reut.rs/XUc7M5

— Lucy Lawless has been sentenced to 120 hours of community service and a $547 fine for boarding a Shell drilling ship in New Zealand with other Greenpeace activists. AP: http://yhoo.it/VIZSWB

THAT’S ALL FOR ME. Enjoy the week-chang.

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